What happens now?
by SilverDoe23
Summary: First fic! Hermione's boyfriend popped the question. What about Ron? Is it going to change anything about them?
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING! This story has dramione hints. It's not dramione though. It's based on the idea that most dramione shippers have that Draco changed after the war and he and Hermione got together. Well, i took that and tried to write a story that shows that even if Hermione and this new great Draco get together, she simply can't forget her love about Ron. And mainly what would happen if Hermione realised her mistake before it's too late and confess Ron her feelings for him. Could they get past this and be together or not? **

**Obviously this has AU (the R/Hr kiss never happened) and OOCness because in no way i believe that Draco could ever change and be something more than a spineless coward, or Hermione ever having romantic feelings for him.**

**If you're still interested to read the story do it and leave a review in the end.  
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Hermione couldn't understand why she couldn't stay away from him. She couldn't understand why her heart skipped a beat every time she saw him. She couldn't understand why of all the guys in the world, he was the one that captured her heart.

What she really couldn't understand though, was why she was always so afraid to admit it.

She had face the most dangerous creatures, humans and not, but never feared and yet, when it came to her redhead best friend, she was so fragile, always trying to not break into pieces. Still after so many years of knowing him, he could take her breath away with one of his smile. She would never admit that to him though. It was a battle she could never win.

They were friends. Best friends someone would say. She wouldn't.

Best friends shouldn't have those feelings for each other. There is a line that separates best friends than something else, and imagining your best friend naked on top of you, doing things that normal friends don't do, crosses that line.

She spent all her teenage years waiting for something to happen between them. She truly believed that Ron had feelings for her too that were anything than just friendly, but perhaps it was her own wishful thinking. Perhaps she just imagined the whole thing.

Actually now she was really thinking about it, she was a fool. Why would Ron do something about it when he didn't share the same feelings as her? If he did like her as more than a friend he would have done something about it by now, wouldn't he?

And really, snuggling to his couch and watching together the last minutes of a boring football game and him not noticing her new dress that she bought especially for today, should be considered as a huge sign that Ron simply wasn't into her.

She was always sitting close to him, pleading Ron mentally to move his hand and pull her into a hug and keep her there safe and complete. But Ron never did. He always moved further and further every time she moved closer to him. It was like she had some contagious disease.

Not that Ron treated her anything than a gentleman would. He smiled every time she visited him and he never complained for the times she came uninvited like today. But it wasn't like old times.

She knew the reason of his coldness. She didn't blame him for that. Her choice of starting a relationship with the guy that Ron always hated was inevitable to damage their friendship; a solid friendship.

Ron cheered when the team with the red shirts scored a goal. She pretended she was just as excited for the goal and hugged him tightly to celebration.

_Stolen moments of love._ That's all she had the courage to take from him. Those moments never last more than a few second though. It was torture.

Ron released the grip and sat down again on the couch and returned his attention to the game.

Sometimes she wished she had never introduce Ron to the world of television, but he seemed very fond of that _little magic box_ as he called it, so she couldn't help but letting him have his fun with it.

"You never thanked me for installing your TV by the way. Thanks to me, you can enjoy all this wonderful and meaningless programs," she said cheekily.

"Football is not meaningless," Ron argued.

"Football is for muggles what Quidditch is for wizards. A stupid game that divides people."

Honestly, she was expecting Ron to like football but soon it became one of his obsessions. He, Harry, Neville and Dean would always gather around to his place to watch a game, drinking beers and getting all passionate about it. It was great to see him embracing some muggle way of living, but she just hoped it would be about something more... educational.

"Says the girl that only dated two guys in her life, and both are Quidditch players," mumbled Ron under his breath.

Hermione decided to ignore that comment. If she replied then that would lead to another bicker and it might signaled the end of the night and she didn't want to leave.

"What the Snow White said when you told him that you hate Quidditch?"

_Snow White, ferret, polar bear, albino, golden-head lady, evil sperm, momma's boy_ and so many more. Ron really had a variety of insults when it came to her boyfriend. Again she decided to ignore that insult.

"I don't hate Quidditch! I just don't see the importance that you all give to this sport."

Ron snorted and went back to watch his game. Hermione stayed silent watching him. He was staring at the TV-screen and she was staring at him. A couple of times Ron would turn his head towards her and she would quickly avert her gaze to the TV pretending to watch the game with him.

Finally after 20 minutes the game was over. "Can we see a movie now?" she pleaded with her puppy eyes.

"I want to see you trying to find a good one. It's full of crap really," Ron said passing her the remote.

Hermione searched the channels and she was disappointed that she couldn't find anything worthwhile. That was until she found her favourite movie.

"OMG, it's the Notebook!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.

"OMG, really?" Ron mocked her. "What the hell is the Notebook?"

If she was talking to some of her muggle friends she would be dumbfounded, but this was Ron and Hermione was aware that his TV was only on sports channels.

"It's the most beautiful love-story and the movie is brilliant!" she dreamily exclaimed.

"Just what I need it," sighed Ron as he took another sip of his beer.

Hermione didn't hesitate and this time she pushed him down to the couch and then snuggled her body to him. She knew it wasn't what she really wanted, but it wouldn't hurt to enjoy the movie holding him, would it? Friends do that.

Soon she regretted her decision. Ron held her close but that meant that her body was touching his and that sent so many lustful shivers down her spine. His smell was intoxicated and she was burning with desire to rip his clothes off and shag him on the spot.

The movie was half way through when Ron all of a sudden asked her a question that really didn't want to answer.

"Are you going to tell me what the real purpose of your visit is?"

_Damn, he knows me too well!_ Not that she really expected Ron to buy her _I came to watch that game that's on TV with you_ excuse.

She was dreading for that moment. Not for the reason that someone would suspect but because she wasn't ready to do what she really came for. And it definitely wasn't to watch TV with him.

She braced herself as she took another long deep breath.

"Draco proposed to me," she finally admitted quietly.


	2. Chapter 2

**I forgot to mention this in the first chapter, but english is not my mother tongue and i have no beta which means that probably this story will have grammar mistakes. I hope not so many to make you quit reading. Hey, at least I'm trying! Don't judge me too hard.  
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"_Draco proposed to me," she finally admitted quietly._

She was dreading for that moment the minute she decided to come here. If Ron was so against the idea of her dating Draco, what would he think of her now that he learned that Draco proposed? There was a long pause and Hermione was holding her breath the whole time, before Ron finally talked.

"I don't see a ring on your finger."

That's it. That was all he said. She had just told him that another man, his nemesis in many ways, had proposed to her and he just acted like he didn't care. _Did he really not care? _

"It wasn't planned. He just blurred it out during the Tornado's game," she said disappointed.

She heard Ron letting a heavy snort. "I didn't know you are a Tornado's fan."

_God, why he thinks that everything must involve Quidditch!_ "I'm not, you know me. I told you I don't care about Quidditch. I just tag along, just like I did whenever you or Harry played."

Ron took a sip of his beer before resting again his back on the couch. "I think I can remember a few exceptions to that rule," he said almost as if he was accusing her of letting him down.

"It was one game, Ron! I missed one game of yours!" she protested sternly.

"It was the game that I won the Cup for Gryffindor," he pointed out.

"And I apologised, but you know that Harry and I couldn't be there that day!"

She was relieved that Ron decided to let it go. Honestly, the last thing she wanted right now was to debate about a stupid game when she had just admitted to him that she had received a wedding proposal. That's what she wanted Ron to focus on. But all Ron did was to turn his attention back to the television screen. His behavior was driving her insane.

"Aren't you going to ask what my answer to his proposal was?"

Ron shook his shoulders. "Why? He didn't propose to me, did he?"

"You'd like Draco to propose to you?" she asked sarcastically.

"Why not? Sure, he's not my type but think what I could do with all his money. I could buy the Cannons and make them the best team in the league!" he joked.

Hermione rolled her eyes in frustration. "Can you take it seriously for a moment, Ron?"

Ron took a sip of his beer. "I prefer not to, Hermione. Nothing in your so called _perfect _relationship with that wanker, I can take seriously."

"I never said that we have the perfect relationship and stop calling Draco names! He is not the same person he was at Hogwarts. He is a good man now," Hermione protested sternly.

Ron laughed. "Hermione, Draco Malfoy was a cunt and he's still a cunt, and he's going to die as a fucking cunt."

"Ok I'm not going to sit here hearing you insulting him," she said angrily and got up from the sofa.

"Leave then. No one is stopping you," Ron said pointing the door with his hand.

Hermione took one of the cushions and throw it to Ron's face. "Why are you such a prick?" she screamed at him.

When she tried to hit Ron again with the cushion, Ron caught her hands and locked them behind her back and pushed her down the sofa. His face was now inches away from hers and she could inhale his warm breath filled with alcohol. If he just moved a bit they'd kiss and Hermione was pleading mentally for Ron to do just that.

"Nice language. You kiss the ferret with that mouth?" he challenged her not releasing his grip.

"Don't care what I do with my mouth," she breathed feeling herself immortal to his strength and touch.

She saw his eyes lowering to the level of her lips and Hermione closed her eyes in anticipation. But the kiss never came. Instead Ron let her arms free and moved a bit away from her.

Hermione sadly opened her eyes again and tried to collect herself. She made an excuse and went to the loo where with the help of a lot of cold water on her face, she managed to regain control of her mind of body.

When she walked back to the living room she found that Ron wasn't there.

"You want anything to eat?" Ron shouted from the kitchen.

Typical. One moment they're fighting and the next it's like it never happened. She hated him and loved him at the same time for doing this to her.

"You have any crisps?" she shouted back.

"Yeah, I think I have some," Ron replied.

Hermione found the time to observe the living room. Ron really hadn't clean this place in a while; a sock behind the TV, two dirty shirts on the floor and dust everywhere. A frown of disapproval appeared on her face.

"You should really tidy up this place, Ron. If you don't want to do it the muggle way, then a simple scrugify spell would do the job!"

Ron poked his head from the kitchen door. "My house, my filth!"

"Very mature behaviour, Ron. What if you want to bring a girl here? This is a huge turn off, you know."

She pushed immediately all the thoughts that came with this sentence. Imagining Ron bringing a girl here, sitting on the same sofa they're sitting, watching the same films they're watching wasn't pleasant. The thought always pained her to no end. Highly hypocritical from her part, considering that from the two of them, she was the one in a relationship.

"And that's why I always go to their place and never invite them to mine," Ron said as he walked to the living room carrying a plate with a few cucumber sandwiches, before heading back to the kitchen and Hermione followed him.

"You seem to have a lot of flings, but not a steady relationship," she told him.

After Ron graduated from the Auror Academy and they started again to spend some time together, Hermione noticed that he very often received owls from different girls either inviting him on a date or to tell him how much they loved their date and all that silly girly stuff she hated.

Also once in a Ministry party a year ago, she had a talk with Parvati and she, without obviously be aware of Hermione's feelings for Ron, had confess that she and Ron dated for a while and that he was now in a relationship with another girl that worked at Zonko's. That didn't last either.

"Why settling to eat honey from the jar, when there are so many bees out there?" Ron winked.

"Congratulations, Ron. This lifestyle must be so fulfilling for you," she said sarcastically.

"It is. Thank you very much," Ron replied in the same tone.

She angrily left the kitchen and walked back in the living room. She didn't know what was bothering her more. The fact that Ron acted indifferent to the news that Draco proposed her or that he seemed to like the attention he was getting from strange girls.

"I just don't understand what all these easy girls of one or two nights could give him. He shouldn't enjoy this lifestyle. He should want more. He should want someone like…" she stopped before finishing her sentence as she heard Ron's footsteps.

"Someone like who?" Ron asked as he came back from the kitchen and handling her the crisps before taking her his place again in the sofa.

Hermione's cheeks went red in embarrassment. She hadn't realised that she was thinking aloud and for Ron to caught her while she was thinking about him.

"Come on, Hermione. Finish your sentence. I should want someone like who?" he asked again without taking his eyes off hers.

"Someone like… like me. Someone that have some brain inside her head, have self-respect and is ready for a commitment. Also someone who can be your best friend, and love you with all her heart and feels blessed everyday that she's yours and you are hers."

If Ron was staring at her expectantly before, it was no match to his now intense gaze. Hermione felt lost in the blue ocean of his eyes but after a moment or two, Ron lowered his gaze and looked away.

"Too bad you are taken, then," Ron said softly, but the evidence of sadness clear to the sound of his voice.

"I'm not," Hermione whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! Really appreciated :)**

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_"Too bad you are taken, then," Ron said softly, but the evidence of sadness clear to the sound of his voice._

_"I'm not," Hermione whispered._

Once again, Ron didn't react to the news. Hermione hoped that at least hearing her saying that she rejected Draco's proposal would make him a bit… happy? But to her disappointment, Ron gave his full attention to the food in front of him, not looking at her.

"Did you hear me, Ron? I refused Draco's proposal," said Hermione desperately wanting for Ron to show any kind of emotions.

"I heard you, Hermione, and don't worry. I'm sure next time you'll be more willing to accept his offer. I bet he'll have a ring and everything," he said nonchalantly taking a bite of his sandwich.

"No, Ron, you don't understand. I'm not with Draco anymore," she stopped for a second to take a deep breath of encouragement. "I broke up with him."

Ron gave her a look for second that Hermione couldn't place it. "If you came here for consolation, then I'm going to disappoint you. I'm glad you ditched the dickhead."

True, the tone of his voice wasn't as passionate as she hoped for, but he certaintly seemed pleased with the news.

"Is there a reason of why you're happy that I'm not with Draco anymore?"

"Besides the obvious reason of hating this guy's guts you mean?"

"Yes, Ron, I'm asking you if there is a… special reason of why you're happy with me being single again," she said, as her cheeks matched his hair colour. Fishing for answers was all she had the strength to do for the moment. She wasn't brave or drunk enough for good old fashion love confession.

It was that moment where Ron for the first time during the day, showed something more than indifference to her. He seemed… angry for some reason.

"Don't do this, Hermione!" he cried.

Hermione was taken aback by his outburst. "What am I doing that makes you so mad?"

"Don't play the dumb one, Granger. It doesn't suit you," Ron said looking at her deeply in the eyes. "Why did you really come here today, Hermione? What do you want from me?"he demanded to know.

Instead of answering with words, Hermione pressed her lips against his. His lips were warm and soft which surprised her and the feeling was nothing she had ever experienced in the past. She wasn't sure if Ron responded during the kiss or not, but when their lips broke apart and opened her eyes, she saw his still closed as if he was trying to savour the moment.

"I never wanted to be a princess. I never needed a knight in shining armor. Those fairytales are not for me," Hermione started confessing all her deepest thoughts she kept safely locked inside her for so many years.

"I spend my life proud of who I am and I learned to always count on my own powers. I want to achieve many things in my life. And I want to get married one day. I want a family and I want to grow old with the man I love, but that man is not you, Draco. I'm sorry."

Ron seemed confused before Hermione speak again. "That was my answer to his proposal," she explained.

She cupped his face with her hands it was her this time that was staring at his blue eyes. "The man I want to spend the rest of my life with, is you, Ron. I know that you probably won't even consider dating me, but I'm done with pretending. I'm not afraid anymore," she said feeling the weight of giant leaving of her shoulders.

"I love you, Ron, and I want you to know it. And I want the whole world to know it! I, Hermione Jean Granger, am insanely in love with Ronald Billius Weasley and all I want from him is to let me love him!" she shouted to the world.

She leaned forward, ready to kiss Ron again, when he placed a hand on her chest to stop her. She felt like someone threw a balloon of cold water over her head. She got carried away in the moment and forgot that there was a guy in front of her that she had no idea what he was to say about her confession.

She was looking down now and dared not to look Ron in the eyes, in fear of what she would see. Little did she care if that would be disgust, anger or disappointment. She knew that it wouldn't be pleasant. If it was, Ron would be kissing her right now, only he wasn't.

She was glued in the same spot, not moving a muscle waiting for Ron to do something, but nothing was happening. She decided that she humiliated herself enough, and since Ron wasn't offering anything to the moment, she realised the painful truth.

She had to leave and bury every little hopeful thought that she and Ron can ever be together in the rubbish bin.

"I have to go," she barely choked. Ron didn't stop her.

She ran as fast as she could outside his flat and into the rainy streets of London. Her face was quickly wet, due to the combination of rain and tears. Her sobs became unbearable and she couldn't breathe properly anymore. She sat on a nearby bench trying unsuccessfully to calm herself down.

_So, that's what a heartbreak fells like,_ she thought in pain.

It was seconds, minutes, hours, she couldn't tell, when she heard the unmistaken voice of Ron calling her name. She turned her head and saw his running towards her. She stood up when he reached her.

"Are you mental? You can catch a flue in this weather. Couldn't you cast an anti-raining spell?" he shouted but only loud enough for her to hear, as she noticed that he was soaked to the bone too.

She didn't say anything. The only thing she could do was to stare at him with trembling hands and lips; a result of cold, rain and Ron's presence in front of her. She was trying desperately to figure out why Ron followed her and what it meant that he did.

She noticed that he stretched out his hand pleading for her to take it. "Let's go back to my place, Hermione. That film you like is still on. I can make us some hot tea and… talk later if you want."

A surprised and numb Hermione nodded quickly. Ron quickly casted a non-verbal drying spell to both of them carefully. There were too many muggles in the area, so they decided to not apparate but walked back instead to his place, holding hands.

That was all Hermione could focus on; that Ron was holding her hand and if it was up to her, she would never leave it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the delay. Real life can be a bitch some times. I hope it's not that bad and it wouldn't hurt to write a few words and tell me if you like it or not. :)  
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"This film sucks. How come is your favourite?"

Hermione rolled her eyes in frustration. She couldn't care less at this moment for the film, but she made an effort to answer Ron's question with honesty.

"It's one of my favourite films, because these two belong together. It was never easy and they had to overcome many obstacles and lost too much time away from each other, but their love was strong. They have their fights here and there, but it's their thing. They wouldn't want it any other way… it reminds me of us actually."

She had no intention to say the last sentence out loud, but she couldn't keep her tongue in control. Ron was now staring at her with a look that she missed seeing on his face for many years, but it lasted only a few seconds before he turned his head back again to the film.

She was in needles waiting for Ron to bring up the talk they were suppose to have, but after they returned to his flat he made them some tea and just sat to watch the rest of the film. Maybe he was stalling the inevitable talk or maybe he just wanted to pretend that nothing changed and they should simply watch the film and then part their ways until next time.

Well, she wasn't going to wait forever so she decided to initiate the talk. Afterall, her feelings were out there and Ron now knew everything about, so the ball was clearly on Ron's court.

"Ron, can you ignore the film for a moment and talk to me?" she pleaded.

Ron sighed heavily. He picked the remote and turned his TV off. "What do you want to talk about?"

Okay, he was playing the dumb card, but now that Hermione had his attention she wasn't going to waste it.

"Did you ever wonder… about us?" she asked nervously.

"If I wonder what would happen if you and I got together?" Ron asked for confirmation and Hermione nodded.

"You know, Hermione, I used to think about us everyday for years; probably since third year. I wondered what would happen if I grabbed and kissed you. What your reaction might be and stuff. Would you slap me or kiss me back?"

She wasn't surprised by this. She knew that at some level, Ron had feelings for her but the problem was that he never did anything about it and she assumed that at some point he simply stopped having romantic feelings for her.

"What made you stopped thinking about it?"

"I don't know, Hermione. Wrack your brain. That will take you a…. or better yet don't do it. I can't wait a month for you to finish," he tried to lighten the mood with his joke but Hermione wasn't there for laughs.

"Answer me, Ron," Hermione insisted. The pleading sound of her voice did the trick.

"Before the war it was my insecurities. I never thought I was good enough for you; might as well as admit that now. We also had a war waiting us, and I just never found the right time," Ron begun talking while Hermione had to agree with his logic of waiting until all that mess was gone.

"When the war was over I thought that I might have a chance with you. I proved my worth in the field of battle and maybe proved my worth to you. But you left so soon to find your parents and when you came back you had to leave again and go to Hogwarts to finish school."

Hermione was screaming inside her. She couldn't believe that Ron thought that he had somehow to prove his worth to her, when he already had that since that day with the troll.

What bothered her more was that her decision of going to Australia had an impact on him. Finding her parents and restore their memories wasn't the easiest thing, but she always found time for him. She sent letters without forgetting to tell him how much she missed him and hoped he was there with her; just him, not him and Harry. She couldn't have made it more clear how different she was thinking him from Harry.

When she and her parents came back, she wasted no time and visited the Burrow and him. They hugged each other for so long that she felt that Ron was going to ask her out now.

_Only, he didn't_, she thought sadly.

She heard Ron talking again.

"That didn't discourage me though, Hermione. I thought to myself that eventually school would be over and then I can tell you everything. I didn't want to mess with your head knowing how important the NEWT's exams were to you and it helped that I was busy with helping George with the shop and training to be an Auror."

He paused for a moment as if he was trying to block some unwelcome memory.

"I came to Kings Cross when you finished your 7th year. I had prepared this lame speech confessing my feeling to you and then you came out of Hogwarts Express hand in hand and sharing lovely kisses with no other than Draco fucking Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret; something that you failed to inform me in your letters by the way."

Hermione felt the painful lump in her throat. She saw how everything became her fault. Ron still had feelings for her, but waited until the right moment, while she wanted right there and now. How stupid she was in retrospect.

She never regretted her decision to befriended Draco. She saw that he was trying to make up for his mistakes and she wanted to help him. And since they were both top students they could talk about things she never could with Ron or Harry.

It was Valentine's Day when it happened. She had sent a letter to Ron a week before asking him whether he would come along with Harry to visit her and Ginny. In a subtle way she was asking him out on Valentine's Day, but Ron sent a reply telling her that he had to stay in the Academy for the month and wasn't allowed to leave. He also informed her that Harry would come, as if Hermione really cared witnessing the boy-who-lived snogging her best female friend.

Alone, she wandered the Hogsmeade when she found Draco also alone outside Zonko's. He invited her to spend the day together and have fun, and by the end of that day, she found herself kissing him. She wasn't sure how it happened. One moment they were talking about Potions and the next he was kissing her and she was kissing him back.

That night she cried herself to sleep. She felt like she had betrayed Ron. In the morning, she realised that Ron wasn't her boyfriend and that he didn't fancy her back. If he did then he would have done something by now. So, she took a decision. She decided to accept Draco's proposal of starting dating officially and to give this whole thing a chance.

She wasn't keen on public display so they kept it as discreet as possible, although everyone at Hogwarts knew they were together. Ginny's negative reaction was expected. She kept talking to her, but every time Draco came to view, she would excuse herself and leave. She also received an angry letter from Harry telling her it was a mistake, but she didn't care. She never objected to their romances, so they had no right to criticise hers.

As for Ron's reaction, she honestly thought that Ginny or Harry had told him, but right now she was stunned that he had no idea and that he learned it like this.

"I never saw you there that day... or any of the next days now that I think about it," she said remembering how she couldn't find Ron anywhere. She wanted to talk to him, see him, touch him. Even then, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

First time she saw him, was when Harry gave her his address about a week later. When that pretty girl opened the door wearing just a shirt, she understood that decisions have been made from both sides. It wasn't just her. Ron also took a few decisions as well, like moving out and dating that girl.

Back then she cried really hard for a week. She thought that the girl opening that door was the reason of Ron's disappearance. But now she realised she was just a way to drown his pain.

"Sorry for not wanting to stay and witness you sucking Malfoy's tongue," said Ron in a snide remark.

Hermione felt sick to her stomach. She couldn't imagine how Ron must have felt when he saw her with Draco. If she felt a pang in her heart when she saw that unknown girl opening his door, then his pain must have been ten times worse.

"You should have, you know; grabbed and kiss me," she told him in tears.

"I suppose we have to live with the choices we made, and the ones we didn't," Ron said making Hermione angrier for acting all mature.

"I was waiting for you, after the battle, you git!" she screamed smacking with force his left arm.

"The summer past and you didn't make a move; send me an owl, asking me on a date, something! But nothing happened and then I had to go back to Hogwarts and you still didn't do anything!"

Ron was taken aback by her outburst but she needed to get that out of her chest. She softened her tone after this.

"Draco and I get to spend a lot of time together and I saw that there was another side of him that I didn't know about and that he wasn't all that bad, and one thing lead to another, and…" regretfully said, but couldn't finish her sentence.

"And you tripped and fell into his arms," Ron said sarcastically.

Of course she couldn't retort to that so she swallow her pride. "Why you didn't say anything after?"

"You've made your choice. What was there for me to say?"

"Anything, Ron! If you were in love with me as you claim, you had to fight for me!" she cried.

"Well, I never thought about you as a prize and perhaps that's the reason I decided to not fight for you as you say," argued Ron.

"You know what I mean. I asked you on a date at the Slughorn party. I showed clearly how jealous I was when you went out with Lavender. I held your hand to sleep in Grimmauld place, I sent you letters while I was in Australia telling you how much I miss you; I practically asked you out on Valentine's Day! I did something," she exclaimed passionately.

"Why you didn't do anything after you saw that you were losing me?"

"I'm not going to answer that, because you're not going to like what I have to say," answered Ron avoiding looking at her.

She had no idea what that meant, but she needed to know. "I can take it. I'm stronger than I look."

Ron seemed as if he had an inside battle about whether it would be good to tell her or not. Hermione's pleading eyes won that battle in the end.

"When I first saw you with him in King's Cross, I was in shock. I thought that he put a spell on you or something. Before making any move, Ginny caught me. She told me that she was afraid to write to me about what was happening and that it was better if I saw it and learned the truth on my own. She knew about my feelings for you and she thought that if I learned it the hard way, then I could move on."

Hermione should have guessed that Ginny's behaviour wasn't due only to her dislike to Draco but there was another reason behind it.

"I was heartbroken and felt lost for months after that day thinking that somehow it can't be true. My mind, that small comparing to yours, couldn't possibly accept the fact that you willingly touch or kiss the guy that his stupid plan to kill Dumbledore almost killed me instead and marked the life of my brother Bill forever."

The anger in Ron's voice was clear. How she could blame him though? He simply stated the painful truth. For the first time during their talk, she felt shame for herself.

"I also started reminiscing all those moments in the past that I foolishly thought I defended you from whenever he insulted you, and realise that in the end, those moments meant nothing to you."

This time it wasn't anger. This time it was pain. This time it was sadness. This time she really wanted to slap herself.

"You're wrong, Ron. Those moments meant a lot more to me than you can imagine," she managed to say in sobs.

"Yes, the fact that you spent the last three years sucking every inch of his body is the proof of that," said Ron sarcastically once again, hurting Hermione to no end. The problem was that Ron was right and Hermione had no way to defend herself in that statement.

"To answer to your question, Hermione, I never fought for you because I had no reason to. Because whether it's for life or for a second, the fact that you chose Draco Malfoy as the one you want to be with, changed everything about you. You were not the girl I thought you were and definitely not the girl I would imagine myself to be with, for years to come."

Hearing Ron saying those words pained her like nothing else. She would welcome _crucio_ any moment, instead of that.

"So, I get together with Draco and that makes me dirty? Not good enough?" she asked in fear of confirmation.

Ron then did something that surprised her. He placed his hand in her cheek and caressed her gently while his gaze was a lot softer now. "No, Hermione, you're perfect. You were always perfect; to my eyes at least and not even a slim git like Malfoy can change that."

Hermione closed her eyes and leaned forward to kiss him, but Ron stopped her. "I can't, Hermione. I made a promise to myself to forget my feelings for you and move on. I'm sorry," he whispered.

Hermione opened her eyes and saw Ron sadly looking away, ready to move away from her, but she grabbed his hand to hold him there. "You shouldn't give promises you can't keep," Hermione said and with that she crushed her lips to his.


End file.
